xMorality Plays
About Everyman: Morality Play
The Morality Play

Liturgical Drama II


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Personification


Morality plays held several elements in common:

  • had one plot
  • about common people
  • allegorical
  • Christian's life and the quest for salvation
  • show life as unpredictable
  • The hero represents Mankind or Everyman.
  • Among the other characters are personifications of virtues, vices and Death, as well as angels and demons who battle for the possession of the soul of man.
  • The psychomachia, the battle for the soul
  • A character known as the Vice often played the role of the tempter in a fashion both sinister and comic.
Certain themes found a home in the morality plays:
  • The theme of the Seven Deadly Sins
  • The theme of Mercy and Peace pleading before God for man's soul against Truth and Righteousness; and
  • The Dance of Death, which focuses on Death as God's messenger come to summon all, high and low.
Medieval Theatre


Seven Virtues and Seven Deadly Sins


Everyman

Mankind
Mankind

external image minion.gif//Mankind// - Dr. NeCastro

ManKind summary
ManKind-characters

Castle of Perseverance
Castle of Perseverance

The Castle of Perseverance is a c. 15th century morality play and the earliest known full-length vernacular play in existence.
external image minion.gif//Castle of Perseverance// (Modernized) - A. F. Johnston
Castle of Perserverence

Castle of Perserverence


Condemnation of Banquets


Representative morality plays


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